Can I visit Canada if I have an old drug felony?

by David
(Thousand Oaks, Ca)

Question: I have a valid passport but I have a 13-year-old drug felony. Will Canada let me enter there country?

Answer: The authority to allow or deny entry into Canada belongs to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). Criminal inadmissibility is defined by the CBSA as "a person who will not be allowed to visit or stay in Canada because they have committed or been convicted of a crime in, or outside of, Canada."

Those who are considered inadmissible due to being convicted of a crime may apply for rehabilitation. The objective is to prove that "you lead a stable life and that you are unlikely to be involved in any further criminal activity." Apparently, a request for rehabilitation can only be made five years after the end of the sentence imposed.

The request must be submitted at a Canada visa office in the United States and can take up to a year to process. There is a fee for this which can be either $200 or $1000 (Canadian dollars). The amount depends on the seriousness of the crime and whether it is necessary to obtain authority from the Minister. For more information, click the link below.

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